FAO & WFP during the fair

An agricultural food and nutrition security fair was held on 4th August, during the visit of the President of the Republic, Filipe Jacinto, in the province of Manica.

The event took place at the administrative post of Machipanda, Manica district where producers from the districts of Gondola, Sussundenga, Macate Vanduzi, Barue, Mussurize, Guro, Tambara, Macossa and the host district participated, bringing with them various agricultural products for the exhibition. In addition to producers, the fair also had the participation of private sector related to agro-processing, Civil Society and United Nations Organizations, represented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

FAO and WFP presented the community experiences that are being carried out under the MDG1C programme to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable groups, prevent and combat chronic malnutrition through nutrition education activities under communication for social behaviour change through the approach of Health Committees.

During the fair were held various activities such as: cooking demonstrations and dissemination of educational messages, nutrition education, hygiene demonstrations and environmental sanitation, among others.

The participation of care mothers at the fair also included educational activities to appeal attention from society and decision-makers on the importance of nutrition in reducing high rates of chronic malnutrition and developing human capital.
During the fair the care mothers performed a cooking demonstration presenting several dishes aimed at a balanced diet focused on pregnant woman, new-born and complementary food.

Margarida Nhamitambo, a care mother from Nhamitambo, the Munene Ward located in the administrative post of Machipanda, is happy to be teaching beneficiary mothers how to have a balanced diet through locally available products for children to grow up healthy.

"We did not know how to make the porridge enriched and a balanced diet using the four food groups, but now with the help of the programme my beneficiary mothers are already changing the way they were feeding their children and are already practicing the rules hygiene and sanitation of the environment" she said.

For Mrs. Rosa Agostinho, mother of a one-year-old girl who received the porridge and explained how to prepare the corn porridge with the wild fruit called uvo, it was a surprise to know that she can use fruits in the porridge for children. "Before, I only made cornmeal porridge with sugar, but today I learned that it can be added, leaves, fruits, fish, peanuts and other foods," said Rosa Agostinho.

Pessoa John, community leader of the Machipanda Administrative Post, believes that through the work that FAO is doing in his community, it is possible to see some result in the mothers and children.

"Me as a leader I knew about the programme and have followed the activities of our mothers. Since the programme entered our community we have verified that mothers already know the importance of each food group in our body and how to prepare a good meal, "she said.